BLUE BEAB.D.

Embellished with neat Engravingf on Wood.

COOPKRSTOWN :

Printed and published by H. & E. PMnney.

1828
CHILDREN'S BOOK
COLLECTION

LIBRARY OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
LOS ANGELES
<WWWWWWWWW
POPULAR STORY
OF

BLUE BEAE.D.
 FRONTISPIECE.

While Fatima is kneeling to Blue Beard, and sup-

plicating for mercy, he seizes her by the hair,
and raises his scymetar to cut off her head.
 THE
POPULAR STORY
OP

Embellished with neat Engravings.

COOPERSTOWN :

Prirted anrl sold by H. and E. Phimej.

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 THE
POPULAR STORY

time ago, and at a consid-

ALONG erable distance from any town,
there lived a gentleman, who was not
only in possession of great riches, but
of the largest estates in that part of the
country. Although he had some very
elegant neat mansions on his estates, he
generally resided in a magnificent castle,
beautifully situated on a rising ground,
surrounded with groves of the finest
evergreens, and other choice trees and
shrubs.
The inside of this fine castle was even
more beautiful than the outside ; for the
rooms were all hung with the richest
<} BLUE BEARD.
damask, curiously ornamented ; the
rhairs and sofas were covered with the
finest velvet, fringed with gold; and his
table-dishes and plates were either of
silvftr or gold, finished in the most ele-

gant style, His carnages and horses

might have served a king, and perhaps
were finer than any monarch's of the
present day. The gentleman's appear-
ance, however, did" not altogether cor-
respond to his wealth for, to a fierce
;

disagreeable countenance, was added

an ugly blue beard, which made him an
object of fear and disgust in the neigh-
bourhood, where he usually went by
the name of Blue Beard.
There resided, at some considerable
distance from Blue Beard's castle, an
old lady and her two daughters, who
were people of some rank, but by no
means wealthy. The two young ladies
were very pretty, and the fame of their
beauty having reached Blue Beard, he
determined to ask one of them in mar-
riage. Having ordered a carriage, he
c-ailed it their house, where he saw the
two young ladies, and was very politely
received by their mother, with whom
tio begged a few moments conversation.
 BLUE BEARD.

After the two ladies left the

young
room, he began by describing his im-
mense riches, and then told her the pur-
of his visit, begging she would use
port
her interest in his favour. They were
both so lovely, he said, that he would*
be happy to get either of them for his
wife, and would therefore leave it to
their own choice to determine upon ih
subject, and immediately took his leave.,
8 BLUE BEARD.
When the proposals of Blue Beard
were mentioned to the young ladies by
their mother, both Miss Anne and her
sister Fa tima protested, that they would
never marry an ugly man, and particu-
larly one with such a frightful blue
beard because, although he possessed
;

immense riches, it was reported in the

country, that he had married several
beautiful ladies, and nobody could tell
what had become of them.
Their mother said, that the gentle-
man was agreeable in his conversation
and manners that the ugliness of his
;

face, and the blue beard, were defects

which they would soon be reconciled
to from habit that his immense riches
:

would procure them every luxury their

heart could desire and he was so civil,
;

that she was certain the scandalous re-

ports about his wives must be entirely
without foundation.
The two young ladies were as civil as
they possibly could be, in order to con-
ceal the disgust they felt, at Blue Beard,
and, to soften their refusal, replied to
this effect, That, at present, they had
no desire to change their situation ; but
if they had, the one sister could never
 BLUE BEARD. 9

think of depriving the other of so good

a match, and that they did no* wish to
be separated.
Blue Beard having called next day,
the old lady told him what her daugh-
ters had said ; on which he sighed deep-
ly, and pretended to be very much dis-
appointed but as he had the mother
;

on his side, he still continued his visits

to the family. Blue Beard, knowing the
attractions that fine houses, fine furni-
10 BLUE BEARD.
ture, and fine entertainments, have on
the minds of ladies in general, invited
the mother, her two daughters, and two
or three other ladies who were then on
a visit to them, to spend a day or two
with him at his castle.
Blue Beard's invitation was accepted,
and having spent a considerable time in
arranging their wardrobe, and in adorn-
ing their persons, they all set out for the
splendid mansion of Blue Beard.
On coming near the castle, although
they had heard a great deal of the taste
and expense that had been employed in
decorating it, they were struck with the
beauty of the trees that overshadowed
the walks through which they passed,
and with the fragrancy of the flowers
which perfumed the air. When they
reached the castle, Blue Beard, attend-
ed by a number of his servants in splen-
did dresses, received them with the
most polite courtesy, and conducted
them to a magnificent drawhig-room.
An elegant repast was ready in the
dining-room, to which they adjourned.
Here they were again astonished by the
grandeur of the apartment and the ele-
gance of the entertainment, and they
 BLUE BEARD. il

feltso happy, that the evening passed

away before they were aware.
Next day, after they had finished
breakfast, the ladies proceeded to ex
amine the pictures and furniture of the

rooms that were open, and were truly

astonished at the magnificence that ev-
ery where met their view.
The time rolled pleasantly away a-
midst a succession of the most agreca
12 BLUE BEARD
ble amusements, consisting of hunting,
music, dancing, and banquets, where the
richest wines, and most tempting deli-
cacies, in most luxurious profusion, pre-
sented themsevles in every direction.
The party felt so agreeable amidst
these scenes of festivity, that they con-
tinued at the castle several days, cluring
which the cunning Blue Beard, by every
obsequious service, tried to gain the fa-
vcur of his fair guests. Personal atten-
tions, even although paid us by an ugly
creature, seldom fail to make a favour-
able impression it was therefore no
;

wonder that Fatima, the youngest of

the two sisters, began to think Blue
Beard a very polite, pleasant, and civil
gentleman and that the beard, which
;

she and her sister had been so much

afraid of, was not so very blue.

A short time after her return home,

Fatim;i, who was delighted with the at-
tention which had been paid her at the
castle, told her mother that she did not
now feel any objections to accept of
Blue Beard as a husband. The old lady
immediately communicated to him the
change in her daughter's sentiments.
 BLUE BEARD.
Blue Beard, who lost no time in pay-
the family a visit, was in a few days
ing
privately married to the young lady

and soon ai'te me ceremony, Fatima,

accompanied by her sister, returned to
the castle the wife of Blue Beard.
On arriving there, they were received
at the entrance hy all his retinue, attired
in splendid dresses, and Blue Beard,
after saluting his bride, led the way to
an elegant entertainment, where, every
14 BLUE BEAKD.
thing that could add to to their comfort
being prepared, they spent the evening
in the most manner.
agreeable
The next day, and every succeeding
Jay, Blue Beard always varied the a-
musements, and a month had passed
away imperceptibly, when he told his
wife that he was obliged to leave her
for a few weeks, as he had some affairs
to transact in a distant part of the coun-
try, which required his personal attend-
ance.
" "
But," said he, my dear Fatinaa,
you may enjoy yourself in my absence
in any way that will add to your happi-
ness, and you can invite your friends to
make the time pass more agreeably, for
are sole mistress in this castle,
ere are the keys of the two large ward-
B)u'
robes this is the key of the great box
;

that contains the best plate, which we

use for company this of my strong
;

box, where I keep my money and this

;

belongs to the casket, in which are all

my jewels. Here also is a master-ke^jr
to all the rooms in the house but this
;

small key belongs to the blue closet at

the end of the long gallery on the ground
floor. I give you Jeare," he continued,
 BLUE BEARD. 15

" to
open, or do what you like with all
the rest of the castle except this closet :
now, mydear, remember you miist not
enter it, nor even put the key into the
Jock. If you do not obey me in this,
expect the most dreadful of punish-
ments."
She promised him implicit obedience
to his orders, and then accompanied him
to the gate, where Blue Beard, after sa
16 BLUE BEARD.
luting her in a tender manner, stepped
;
nto the coach, and drove away.
When Blue Beard was gone, Fatima
sent a kind invitation to her friends to
come immediately to the castle, and
ordered a grand entertainment to be
prepared for their reception. She also
sent a messenger to her two brothers,
both officers in the army, who were
quartered about forty miles distant, re-
questing they would obtain leave of ab-
sence, and spend a few days with her.
So eager were ner friends to see the a-
partments and the riches of Blue Beard's
castle, of which they had heard so much,
that in less than two hours after receiv-
ing notice, the whole company were as-
sembled, with the exception of her bro-
thers, who were not expected till the
following day.
As her jruests had arrived long be-
fore the tim^
appointed
them for the
entertainment. Fatima took them thro'
every apartment in the castle, and Jis-
all the wealth she had acquired
played
ny her marriage with Blue Beard. They
went from room to room, and from
wardrobe to wardrobe, expressing fresh
wonder and delight at every new object
r
 BLUE BEARD. 17

they came to but their surprise was

;

increased when they entered the draw-

ing-rooms, and saw the grandeur of the
.furniture.
During the day, Fatima was so much
engaged, that she never once thought
of the blue closet, which Blue Beard had
ordered her not to open but when all
;

the visitors were gone, she felt a great

curiosity to know its contents. She
took out the key, which was made of
the finest gold, and went to consult with
her sister on the subject. Anne used
every argument she could think of to
dissuade Fatima from her purpose, and
reminded her of the threats of Blue
Beard but all in vain, for Fatima was
;

now bent on gratifying her curiosity.

She therefore, in spite of all her sister
could do, seized one of the candles, and
hurried down stairs to the fatal closet.
On reaching the door she stopped, and
began to reason with herself on thp pro-
priety of her conduct ;but her curiosity
at length overcame every other consid-
eration, and, with a trembling hand, she
applied the key to the lock, and opened
the door. She had only advanced a
tew steps, when the most frightful scene
18 BLUE BEARD.
met her view, and, struck with horror
and dismay, she dropped the key of the
closet. She was in the midst of blood,

and the heads, bodies, and mutilated

limbs of murdered ladies lay scattered
on the floor. These ladies b:>.d all been
married to Blue Beard, and had suffer-
ed for their imprudent curiosity, the
key, which was the gift of a fairy, al-
ways betraying their fetal disobedience.
 BLUE BEARD 19

The terror of Fatima wafc not dimin-

ished on observing these dreadful words
on the wall" The Reward of Disobedi-
ence and Imprudent Curiosity /" She
trembled violently ; but, on
recovering
a little, she snatched up the key, ana
having again locked the door, left this
abode of horror.
As soon as she reached her sister's
chamber, she related the whole of her
horrid adventure. They then examin-
ed the key, but it was all covered with
blood, and they both turned pale with
fear. They spent a good part of the
night in tryiog to clean off the blood
from the key, but it was without effect,
for though they washed and scoured it
with brick dust and sand, no sooner was
the blood reraoved from one side, than
it appeared on the other. Fatigued
with their exertions, they at last retired
to bed, where they passed a sleepless
and anxious night.
Fatima rose at a late hour next day,
and consulted with her sister how she
ought to proceed. She thought first of
escaping from the castle, but as her
brothers were expected in an hour or
two, she resolved to wait their arrival.
20 BLUE BEARD.
A loud knock at the gate made her al-
most leap for joy, and she cried, " they
are come they are come !" but what
!

was her consternation when Blue Beard

hastily opened the door, and entered.
It was
impossible for Fatima to conceal
her agitation, although she pretended
to be very happy at his sudden and un-
expected return.
Blue Beard, who guessed what she
had been about, requested the keys, in
order, as he said, that he might change
his dress. She went to her cnamber,
and soon returned witk the keys, all
except the one belonging to the blue
closet. He took the keys from her
with seeming indifference, and after
glancing at them minutely, said, rather
" How is this, Fatima I do
sternly, !

not see the key of the blue closet here !

Go and bring it to me instantly."

The poor girl, feeling the crisis of her
" I will
fate approaching, said, go and
sesrch for it," and left the apartment in
tears. She went straight to her sister's
chamber, where they again tried, but in
remove the blood from the key.
vain, to
The voice of Blue Beard again calling
 BLUE BEARD. 21

for her, she was forced to return, and

reluctantly to give him the fatal key.
On examining the key, Blue Beard
" Mad-
burst into a terrible rage.
" Pray
am," said he, how came this blood to
be here ?" " I am sure 1 do not know,"
replied she, trembling, and turning pale.
" What! do not know!" cried
you
Blue Beard, in a voice like thunder,
which made poor Fatima start with
fear " but I know well! You have been
;
 BLUE BEARD.
in the forbidden blue closet ! And since
you are so fond of prying; into secrets,
yoou shall take up your anode with the
dies you saw there."
lad
Almost expiring with fear and terror,
the trembling Fatima sunk upon her

knees, and implored him in the most

piteous manner to forgive her. But the
cruel Blue Beard, deaf lo her intreaties,
 BLUE BEARD. 23

drew his dreadful scymetar, and bid her

prepare for immediate death.
Blue Beard had raised his arm to give
the fatal blow, when a dreadful shriek
from her sister, who at that moment
entered the apartment, arrested his at-
tention. She entreated him to spare
the life ofFatima, but he was deaf to
her intercession, and would only grant
her one quarter of an hour, that she
might make her peace with Heaven,
before he put her to death.
Blue Beard then dragged her up to
a large hall in the top of the tower of
the castle, to prevent /her groans being
heard, to which they were followed by
her sister. He then told her to make
the best use of the time, as she might
expect his return the momentit elapsed,
and immediately left the plnce.
When alone with her sister, Fatima
felt her dreadful situation, and again
burst into tears. Only fifteen minutes
between her and the most cruel death,
without the least chance of escape for ;

Blue Beard had secured the door when

he retired, and the staircase they saw-
only led to the battlements. F^tima's
thoughts were now turned to her broth-
24 BLUE BEARD.
ers, whom she expected that day and ;

she requested her sister to ascend to

the top of the tower, to see if there was
any appearance of them.
Fatima's sister immediately ascended
to the top of the battlements, while the
poor trembling " girl below, every min-
ute, cried out, Sister Anne, my dear
sister Anne, do you see any one coming
yet ?"
Her sister always replied, " There is
not a human being in view, and I see
nothing but the sun and the grass."
She was upon her knees bewailing
her fate, when Blue Beard, in a tre-
mendous cried " Are you
voice, out,
ready ? the time is expired ;" and she
heard the sound of his footsteps ap-
proaching. She again supplicated him
to allow her five minutes longer to fin-
ish her prayers, which he, knowing she
was completely within his power, grant-
ed her, and again left her.
Fatima again renewed her inquiries
to her sister ;" "
Do you see any one
coming ?"
yet " There is not a
Her sister replied,
human being within sight."
When the five minutes were elapsed.
 BLUE BEARD. 25

the voice of Blue Beard was heard bawl-

" Are
ing out, you ready yet ?"
She again beseeched him to allow her
only two minutes more, and then ad-
dressed her sister, " Dear Anne, do
you see any one coming yet ?"

" I
see," said her sister, "a cloud of
dust rising a little to the left."
In breathless agitation, she cried. " Do
you think it is my brothers ?"
26 BLUE BEARD.
" Alas !
no, ray dearest Fatima," re-
" it is
turned her sister, only a flock of
sheep."
Again the voice of Blue Beard was
heard, and she begged for one minute
longer. She then called out for the
" Sister
last time, Anne, do you see no
one coming yet ?"
Her sister quickly answered, " I see
two men on horseback, but they are
still a great way off."
" Thank
heaven," exclaimed Fatima,
" I shall
yet be saved, for it must be my
two brothers My dearest sifter, make
!

every signal in your power to hasten

them forward, or they will be too late."
Blue Beard's patience being now ex-
hausted, he burst open the door in a
rage, arid \nnde a blow at the wretched
Fatima, r.-itb the intention of striking
off her head but she sprang close to
;

him and evaded it. Furious at being

:"oiIMi in his aim, he threw her from

him, and then seizing her by the hair

01 the head, was in the act of striking
her a blow with his scymotar, when the
noise of persons approaching, with hasty
steps, arrested the progress of his san-
guinary arm. Blue Beard had not time.
 BLUE BEAKD. 1:7

to conjecture who the intruders

mi^ht
be, when the door opened, and two of-
ficers, with their swords drawn, rushed
into the apartment.

Struck with terror, the guilty wretch

released his wife from his grasp, and
without attempting to resist, lie tried
to effect his escape from the resentment
of her brothers: but they pursued and
seized him before he h,.n got above
28 BLUE BEARD,
twenty paces from the place. After
reproaching Blue Beard with his cruel-
ty, they dragged him back to the spot
where he intended to have murdered
their sister and there, stabbing him to
;

the heart with their swords, he expired,

uttering the most horrid oaths and ex-
ecrations.

Fatima, who had fallen to the ground

at the time Blue Beard quitted his hold
of her, still lay in the same situation in-
sensible ;
for the appearance of her
brothers, at the moment she expected
certain death, had thrown her into a
faint, which continued during the whole
of the time they were engaged in de-
spatching her husband.
The two young officers now turned
their attention to their sister, whom
they raised from the ground but she ;

could hardly be persuaded of her safety,

till
they pointed to where Blue Beard
lay extended and lifeless.
Fatima, on recovering a little, tender-
lyembraced her deliverers ; and the ap-
pearance of their sister Anne, who had
come down from the top of the battle-
ments, added to their happiness.
 BLUE BEARD.

As all those horrid murders which

had been committed by Blue Beard,
were unknown to his domestics, on
whose credulity he imposed by false-
hoods, which they had no means of
detecting, Fatima and her brothers
thought the most prudent way to act,
was to assemble them together, and
then disclose the wickedness of their
late master.
30 BLUE BEARD.
direction of Fatima, her two
By the
brothers conducted all the servants to
the dreadful scene of her hushand's
cruelties, and then showing them his
dead body, related the ivhole occur-
rences which had taken place. They
all said that his
punishment was no't
adequate to what he deserved, and beg-
ged that they might be continued in the
service of their mistress.
As Blue Beard had no relations, Fa-
tima was sole heir to the whole of his
immense property, and mistress of the
castle, in the possession of which she
was confirmed by the laws of the coun-
try. She then sent notice to all the
families in the neighbourhood of the
death of her husband, and the horrid
proofs of his cruelty were laid open for
two days to all who chose to inspect
them. He was then buried privately,
along with all the bodies of the Indies
he had murdered, and the fatal closet
underwent a complete repair, which
removed every trace of his barbarity.
Soon after this, Fatima gave a mag-
nificent entertainment to all her friends,
where happiness was seen in every face ;

and on this occasion the poor, who were

 BLUE BEARD. 31

assembled for many miles round, par-

took most liberally of her bounty.

Though possessed of riches almost in-

exhaustible, Fatima disposed of them
with so much discretion, that she gain-
ed the esteem of every one who knew
her. She bestowed handsome fortunes
on her two brothers ; and to her sister,
who was married about two months
after,she gave a very large dowry.
The beauty, riches, and amiable con-
duct of Fatima, attracted a number of
admirers, and among others, a young
nobleman of very high rank, who, to a
handsome person, added every quality
calculated to make a good husband;
and after a reasonable time spent in
courtship, their marriage wa: celebrated
with great rejoicings.